Might be too many lines for a nice laser light show...

Getting reaaaaaaaally close. Like the rune designs, but they will need to be gilded at some point. I'd sort of like them to come down, just a very very little at the top, but not very far. Just like a character or two.
The actual sangrite shard should probably be a little more like a raw crystal, though the shape is basically right.

Just trying out an idea here... I reversed the black and white to get a gilded effect.

I'm thinking about doing a negative shading, and putting the runes on real clean and sharp and then trying this approach again.

I used the Clone Stamp tool to move the runes.

I'm liking a lot of what's going on here with it. The little things you've done to polish it up really come out great.
To tell truth, I'm a bit torn on the scale's color, because this looks really good as is, but doesn't quite match the color I had in mind.... but it DOES look really good as it is right now so I might be willing to call that done.

The only thing that I think needs any more work are the edges of the sangrite shard. I really dig the effect you have going on internally, but I think the edges need a little more irregularity to them. They just look a little too clean for my taste.

I think this will look great when its colored.

I'm supposing that the scale should be on the red side of the spectrum.

I guess You won't be seeing this until Sunday.

Looks real good to me, the only thing I'd have to say is that I'd really like the runes to have some more weight to them. Bold those where you think you can without obscuring the designs. (a mixture of line weights would be fine in some of the more delicate places, but something like at the bottom there, you could add more to it. Think a pseudo-brushstroke if necessary)

Holy Coca-Cola Bat-Man!

Feel free to change the color scheme....

Hmmm, yeah, the color could use some work, but at the same moment, I think the scale texture could too. It, overall, has too smooth a feel to the it, a little too much regularity. The texture you used on the Wednesday version had a good amount of grizzle to it.

Aside from that, the sangrite could stand to have a little inner glimmer to it, which should refract interestingly through the countours of the rough stone. The contrast between the dark portions of the stone against the lit parts would add some good glimmer to it. The actual red of the Sangrite shard too could probably use a tad more punch, just a richer hue.

The runes look really solid over all now too, I just have one small request as far as those go now. The bottom and top curve of the exterior most vertical line could stand to have even more weight to it. The gold could stand to be a little truer too, since it comes across as more white (though a white core for a glow or something works, but the edges should get a little more, but part of that comes from the fact that the color doesn't match the shade contours of the scale beneath.)

The bindings at the top of the scale have a good contrast to them, good texture.

ok

Here's step one.

- Adjusting the sharpness to maximum.
Does it help?

- Yeah (you may select this option)

- Neigh...? ( Would He select this option...?)

I dunno... It sucks drawing on this damn mouspad. Not even my computer.

I think i will send a new photo of a drawing soon.

The pencils are tight, I just need to spend some more time on the scale.

Unfortunately no, I don't think it does. Part of the problem really does just come down to the fact that it's primarily the scale that causes the problem and if you apply something to the entire thing it ends up messing with other portions of it that already worked.

I could probably take a stab at it in photoshop, but... I honestly haven't felt in the right mindspace for that.

I should have it done by monday...

I have a few options to explore once the pencil is finished:
Scan it and prismacolor the b/w copy, or make a print of the next version after the same approach and then use colored pencils to finish the runes.

The latter would be faster, but i'm not sure how sharp a photo print from wal-mart will turn out. Regardless, any paper print i go with can be finished out with some qaulity pencils.

I could smash this with paint, but not having a personal studio to make a mess in is a problem.

I tend to go back and forth between strictly painting, or strictly pencils though, so, its fine.
This just happens to be a pencil phase i'm going through.

Cheers!

For the record, the Wednesday version is strong enough on its own that it could go in on its own merits. There were a few little notes, but it's in a good place regardless in my opinion.

Anyways, don't feel like you have to do anymore work on it if you'd rather move on, because the above one is good enough for me. Now, if you WANT to work on another copy of the amulet, feel free, I won't say no!

hmm.... So the wednesday version(the one where i first experimented with the b/w reversal?)... or the most recent version...?

which one suits your fancy best if taken up a notch?

Though, i wouldn't mind a fresh project.

The Coca-Cola one.
(for the record, I use that only as a means to immediately identify the one in question)

Yeah, I'd agree that that one could go in on its merits right now. The contouring is great, and I love your little De Chiricho touches, and I like it when your work has a less obviously digitized look. The only thing with that one is that the gem could be a little sparklyer, and it's a little monochromatic... but other than that it's a solid piece for sure.

Yeah, playing with gem contrast is one of the most challenging, but ultimately fun things an artist can do. It's an awesome pain in the ass.
I still would like the top and bottom curves of the outermost figures to have a little more weight too, but I mean that is a really really small note overall.